


Matters of the Heart

by CSM



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, family fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 03:48:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12696696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CSM/pseuds/CSM
Summary: Post Season 6 fic. Oliver spends a quiet morning with his five month old daughter while Felicity and William sleep.





	Matters of the Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [smoakyfelicity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/smoakyfelicity/gifts).



> This is for Jess, who always provides me and the fandom with amazing art and you are even a more awesome friend, I'm forever grateful for Arrow for bringing you into my life :) So glad you enjoyed this little fic :)

The soft scuffles slowly pull him from slumber, the small arm that is wrapped around his torso tightens and the wet cold nose pressed between his chest bone rubs against his warm skin. Familiar mass of blonde hair tickles his nose as he quietly listens to the scuffles again. A small whine emits from the speaker on his bedside table, he turns his head watching the clear monitor, he can see tiny little hands peeking out from too long sleeves, little fingers clenching and opening in rapid succession.  The soft plush blanket that was loosely draped over his daughter’s torso is at a tangle at her feet. Oliver can see her little feet kicking at it with rapid procession, he tears his gaze away from the monitor for a brief second and much like their  daughter, Felicity has her own blanket wrapped around her own feet. It’s the reason why she’s wrapped around Oliver like a koala, not that Oliver is complaining.

 

He turns back to the baby monitor when he hears another whine. A smile tugs sleepily on his lips when he sees his daughter, little tuffs of light blonde hair stand on edge, as her eyes flutter open. He wonders briefly if she will ease back to sleep, but when he sees her entire face wrinkles and she whines again, letting out a loud cry. He knows she’s at the point of no return.

 

He quickly eases out from under Felicity, his wife only grunts in response but slips back into slumber almost immediately. Their daughters cries are now getting louder and he picks up his pace, not wanting her to wake up either Felicity or William.

 

“Hey, there sunshine.” Oliver calls out soothingly as he walks into the nursery, his smile widens when Emma’s head turns to the sound of his voice.

 

Her cries simmer and she begins to whine little arms stretching out to him. He quickly goes to scoop her up in his arms, knowing she will get even more impatient now that she’s seen him and if he takes too long to pick her up.

 

“You little miss had Mommy up until 2 this morning.” Oliver gently scolds pressing a kiss to Emma’s small tuft of hair her little cheek presses against his bare chest and she nuzzles against him reminding Oliver so much of her mother.

 

Her little fingers wrap around his index finger and Oliver presses a soft kiss against her tiny knuckles. “How about you and me make some breakfast for your mom and Will?”

 

He walks across to the changing table, putting the fussing baby down, smiling at her when she wrinkles her forehead in displeasure, crying out in protest. “I know, but we can’t make waffles with a dirty diaper.”

 

He continues to talk to her, blowingly little raspberries on her bare tummy, eliciting soft giggles as he continues to rid of her of the soiled diaper for a new one.

 

When she’s back in his arms smelling of baby powder and that unique baby smell that’s just so addicting, she starts to whine again and Oliver realizes that her dirty diaper was not her only displeasure this morning.

 

“Ah are you hungry again?” Oliver teases gently as they make their way towards the kitchen, “between you and your brother I’m surprised we even have any food left in the house and all you are having is your mom’s milk.”

 

Emma only whines in return her little face nuzzling at Oliver’s chest searching for something she’s not going to get from her father.

 

“Alright no need to be so testy,” Oliver laughs he pulls open the fridge but frowns when he realizes their typical supply of breast milk is non-existent. He opens the freezer to see if by chance any is in there but with similar results. “Crap, so much for letting Mommy get some shut eye.”

 

Emma though has met her limit and cries out loudly in protest, little hands forming fists in displeasure her little face red and angry.

 

“Okay, ms cranky pants no need to get testy and wake up your brother either.” Oliver rubs her back trying to sooth her as he makes his way into their bedroom, Felicity snoring softly as she wraps her entire body around a pillow and Oliver hates that he has to wake her knowing that she was up most of the night with Emma while he was hitting the streets.

 

Emma on seeing her mother immediately tries to dive for Felicity, at five months old she is far stronger than Oliver gives her credit for, “Hey no parkouring, you little ninja.”

 

Emma only whines and Oliver swears she gives him the evil eye.  She lets out a loud cry in protest and that one cry awakes Felicity immediately, her eyes  flutter open and she peers up at them sleepily, Oliver’s heart clenching at the sight.

 

“Hey sorry, she’s hungry and we have no more milk.” He apologizes, they have been talking about trying formula lately but Felicity has yet to firmly agree to it along with baby cereal.

 

“S’okay.” She yawns sleepily as she slowly sits up rubbing her eyes, “Emma and I had a wild night last night. She seems to want to continue on with the party.”

 

Oliver chuckles as he hands over Emma to Felicity and then moves to prop up a few pillows for Felicity to sit back against, but Felicity shakes her head only using her pillow to slump back against it, she’s practically horizontal with Emma resting on her chest their daughter already tugging at Felicity’s sleep top.

 

“So impatient, just like your father.” Felicity teases sleepily at Emma, her eyes are practically closed, and Oliver gently tugs down her top for her when he realizes she’s a bit too sloppy with her movements.

 

Emma’s mouth starts opening and closing her little fingers  gripping Felicity’s bare breast. Oliver only chuckles at the baby’s eagerness and gently moves her little head to the left when he realizes she is struggling to find it . The moment she latches on her eyes close in content and focuses on her meal.

 

Oliver looks at Felicity a soft smile on her lips her hand resting protectively on Emma’s back but her eyes are closed and he knows she’s going to fall asleep. Her position is comfortable enough that she can sleep that way and Emma is also comfortable.

 

Emma has grown so much in the past five months and although she looks dwarfed on Oliver’s chest she takes up Felicity’s entire torso now her head is using one breast for a pillow while she feeds, her legs are dangling at Felicity’s waist her feet wedged between felicity’s legs and Oliver realizes just how much his daughter has grown over the past few months.

 

Felicity’s hand that was holding Emma slowly slides away, her mouth tilted back as she softly begins to snore, the exhaustion having clearly won, Emma begins to slip to the side but before Oliver can catch her, Felicity surprised him when she cups their daughter’s head her eyes never opening. She shifts to her side sliding Emma  onto the bed, never once losing contact and it’s clear to Oliver they’ve done this before. With both of them on their side Felicity’s body then relaxes and Oliver knows she’s fallen asleep again.

 

Emma though is wide awake her little eyes wide as she looks around at her new position. She’s looking at the ceiling then at Felicity’s sleeping face, mouth puckered as she feeds.

 

She turns her head a small pop echoing in the room her he’s trained on Oliver and she smiles happily at him, she goes back to feeding again but then after a few seconds she pulls back and turns to Oliver again, when he laughs she does it again until Oliver realizes she’s _playing_ with him.

 

“Alright, you silly girl.” Oliver whispers with a laugh scooping her up after the third time she buried her face in Felicity’s chest soft giggles filling the room. “You had your breakfast, let’s leave Mommy to sleep.

 

When Felicity’s arm stretches out to grab for their daughter , he squeezes her fingers pressing a kiss to her knuckles, “I got her.”

 

That’s all the reassurance his wife needs and she sighs softly her hand going lax at her side. In that moment Oliver is certain he’s fallen in love it’s her all over again.

 

Oliver presses a kiss to Emma’s rosy cheek her little hand grabbing at his beard as she giggles loudly. She babbles in excitement her eyes wide and full of laughter. Despite the long night his daughter is clearly ready and awake for the day. He shuts the bedroom door behind him just before he grabs one of the clothed shoulder holder and slips it one with ease depositing Emma into it so that she’s snug against his bare chest. Eventually she will be too big for this, more concerned with exploring her surroundings but for now Oliver is going to enjoy these moments with his daughter.

 

“So sunshine, what do you think Mommy and Will want for breakfast?” Oliver asks her, tickling her tiny toes that are kicking against chest. She babbles incoherently little hands slapping at his shoulder in her excitement.

 

“I was thinking waffles too.” Oliver says in agreement despite the fact that Emma clearly has no clue what he’s saying.

 

This has been their typical routing the past few months, the way he spends time with his daughter just the two of them. He can’t wait until she’s old enough to understand all the cooking and maybe even help him out in the kitchen. Neither Felicity or William show any interest in cooking, both content with eating anything Oliver makes for them. His son has grown so much in the past year and half at 13 he’s already taller than Felicity and neither of them can seem to accept.

 

When Emma begins to fuss, Oliver looks down to see her head twisting to see what’s behind her and he the remembers his mistake. Lately his daughter no longer wants to be resting on his chest- unless she is tired- but she wants to _see_ things not ready to explore herself but Oliver knows that time is nearing. He quickly eases her out of the hostler and then turns her around so that her back is to his chest. Her arms and legs flail as she looks around with wide eyes she tilts her head back to look at him and smiles before she zeros in on the spatula resting in the glass bowl of ingredients. She makes a grab for it but Oliver is too quick and he takes a step back she whine in protest so he hands her a short soft  plastic spatula to contend with, and as predicted it goes straight in her mouth. Oliver sighs, but that’s the reason he has that specific spatula that’s not only sterilized but only for Emma’s use. One day Oliver’s hope is that she will actually want to use it what it’s meant for.

 

With Emma content with her spatula he continues mixing the ingredients, singing one of Emma’s favourite lullabies as he works. By the time the first set of waffles are cooking the smell of cinnamon and coffee filling the apartment Oliver is not at all surprised to hear the stuffing of feet on the concrete flooring, he looks up just in time to see his sleepy sun shuffling towards the counter, eyes red with sleep, his hair standing on edge and Oliver makes a mental note to convince his son it’s time to cut some of that off.

 

“Hey bud.” Oliver greets, but Emma on seeing her brother starts bouncing pulling on the restrians, she drops the spatula immediately and stretches out her hands to him begging him to take her.

 

William laughs wholeheartedly and moves towards them expertly easing his sister out of the shoulder holder. “Nice to see you too Em.”

 

She gurgled in delight and smacks a wet supposedly a kiss but it’s just more of her face smushing into William in greeting. William only laughs in return blowfly a tiny raspberry in her neck.

 

Oliver grins watching as the two interact, both equally excited to see the other, it never stops amazing him to see how much his two children already love and adore each other.

 

“Felicity still sleeping?” William asks curiously as he pretends to gum on Emma’s little fingers that have already found his mouth and she bursts out into small giggles again.

 

“Yea, they had a long night, your sister is a night owl.” Oliver explains as he puts a plate of three waffles in front of William, “hopefully Felicity can sleep for the next few hours before Emma gets hungry again.”

 

“She’s always hungry.” William says with a laugh, he looks at the other stack of waffles and adds one more to his pile. When Emma goes to grab the waffle though he pulls quickly slides the plate away from her, William only grins sheepishly at his father who is giving him a pointed look, “when can she eat real food? I think she will like this.”

 

“Not for a few months, and definitely not waffles.” Oliver says with a laugh, “so don’t give her anything even if she cries okay?”

 

“I know that Dad.” William remarks dryly in the way only  teenager can.

 

Oliver let’s it go, knowing when to pick his battles with his teenage son.  He goes to the pair scooping up Emma who seems slightly annoyed to be out of her brothers arms.

 

But then when she realizes it’s her father in her arms she smiles happily and pats Oliver’s face in greeting. Emma is such a happy bubbly baby and Oliver knows that is entirely on Felicity. She reminds Oliver so much of his wife it actually makes Oliver’s heart swell with joy each and every time.

 

“Eat up.” Oliver tells his son, “we’ve gotta entertain this busy body for a few hours, so she doesn’t realize Felicity isn’t around.”

 

At the mention of her mother’s name Emma perks up and looks around the room curiously. William laughs as he takes a bite of his waffle, “you shot yourself in the foot there, Dad.”

 

“She’s got that Momma radar.” Oliver joked

 

“Do I smell cinnamon?” A sleepy voice calls out, this time Emma certainly hears her mother’s voice and Oliver has to tighten his hold on her before the baby goes jumping out out of his.

 

“Oh all my favourite people.” Felicity greets sleepily she presses a soft kiss to William’s head in greeting before walking over to Oliver kissing him on the lips and then laughs when Emma jumps towards her, “good morning to you too lady bug.”

 

“You could have slept in.” Oliver says with concern rubbing her back.

 

“I know but I wanted to spend time with my boys too.” Felicity says with a sleepy smiles grinning widely when Oliver places a large cup of coffee in front of her along with a stack of four waddled. “I love you, please be my baby daddy. Oh wait you already are.

 

Oliver shakes his head in amusement at her comment. Oliver is unsure who eats more his nursing wife or his teenage son. Although the way Emma is grabbing at Felicity’s top eagerly their five month old is not far behind.

 

“Ah the joys of being a 24 hour buffet.” Felicity remarks, just as Oliver takes Emma from her, William though wrinkles his nose in disgust at the comment.

 

“You two eat, Emma and I are going to pick a movie for us to watch, right sunshine?”

 

“Can it have less singing? _Please?”_ William practically begs.

 

“No promises, bud.” Oliver teases ruffling his son’s hair, “but I’m sure Emma might be interested in learning about Peter Parker today.”

 

“Awesome.” William says knowing they don’t actually let Emma choose the movies but lately they have been introducing her to some of the Disney classics.

 

“Wait, Oliver did you have breakfast?” Felicity calls out in concern.

 

“I’ll grab something after you guys eat.”Oliver promises, but misses the look Felicity and William exchange and once William finishes the last of his waffle and deposits his dishes into the sink. He makes a beeline for his father, taking his sister from Oliver much to Oliver’s protest.

 

“Go have breakfast with Felicity. I’ll watch Emma.” He doesn’t let his father argue but instead  blows a raspberry on his sister’s neck as he makes his way towards the living room.

 

Felicity only grins holding out another cup of coffee for Oliver as he joins her at the counter. “Look at us, actually sharing a meal together _alone_ for the first time in 100 years.”

 

Oliver laughs wholeheartedly at her comment, “I don’t think it’s been _that_ long….has it?”

 

“I think last week I bought you a cronut and we shared it in the car, while we waited for William’s baseball practice to end and Thea has Emma for the afternoon.” Felicity points out with a laugh.

 

“No.” Oliver protests in disbelief as his mind plays back the last few days, “we shared the last of Williams’s burger last week, after he fell asleep watching that movie with the vampires.”

 

“Emma was nursing while we took bites of that burger.” Felicity wrinkles her nose in memory, “I got ketchup on her _cheek.”_

 

 _“Oh right.”_ Oliver says in realization, holding back laughter remembering Felicity’s horrified expression and he had to promise her that they would never speak of that again.

 

“It’s not funny Oliver! I used my child as a _napkin.”_

 

 _“_ Felicity, it was a tiny drop of ketchup, on her cheek, she didn’t even know it happened she was too busy eating. Pretty sure she’s left you worst things on _your_ cheek.” Oliver points out with a laugh.

 

“yes I still remember the _smell_ of the projectile diarrhea…” Felicity trails off her eyes widening in horror, “oh god. Our very meal alone together and I’m talking about projectile body fluids . Excellent date etiquette, Felicity.”

 

Oliver smirks taking a step towards her abandoning his breakfast to focus on his flustered wife. He wraps his arms around her waist  taking a step between her legs , “So _this_ is a date, Mrs. Queen?”

 

“Uh... _yea_. Sharing a meal with my husband no kids just two of us? Definitely a date.” Felicity insists, her nimble fingers hooking on the waistband of his sweatpants and tugging him towards her, she tilts her head upwards and Oliver meets her halfway kissing her soundly.

 

“Milk stained tops, and baby carriers too?” Oliver asks amused, his lips brushing hers again.

 

“Are you kidding, this is my perfect kind of date, you are practically shirtless. I don’t have on a bra, or shoes. Or needed to brush my hair.” Felicity grins her fingers tugging on the end of his hair, pullin him down for another kiss, she kisses three more time on the lips then on the cheek and hums in pleasure, “think we can take this date to the bedroom, without the kids noticing?”

 

Oliver laughs wholeheartedly at her eagerness, even more so when her arms move to his back and she grabs his ass. “I wish, but unfortunately our teenager will _not_ be as oblivious as our five month old was  two days ago.”

 

“Oh right.” Felicity squeaks pulling away from Oliver immediately almost as though William was in the room, it’s been awhile since they have been caught by their son, nonetheless they do need to take things down a notch, cause William is much more aware of things now that when he first moved in with Oliver all those years ago.

 

Oliver grabs their  forgotten mugs of coffee and offers Felicity’s too her, “May I share a cup of coffee with you? Mrs. Queen?”

 

“Why Mr. Mayor play your cards right and you might just get lucky tonight.” Felicity teases her eyes twinkling with mischief as she takes a sip of her coffee.

 

Oliver laughs wholeheartedly, but then a thought occurs to me, “Felicity, would you like to go to dinner with me?”

 

Felicity nose wrinkles in confusing at his question, “are you asking me out on a date?”

 

“I am.” Oliver says with a grin, his smile widening when she looks at him still confused.

 

She looks down at her wedding band then back at him again, “you do know that you already asked me the most important question right?”

 

“A husband can’t ask his wife, the mother of his children out on a date?” Oliver counters with a wide smile.

 

“You mean like a _real_ date? No kids, no spit up. Proper clothing in an actual restaurant with only grown ups”

 

“Exactly that, we ask Thea to take Emma for the night, see if Will wants to stay with her or stay by Avery. One night, just the two of us, what do you say?”

 

“I say, you drive a hard bargain Mr Queen.” Felicity grins in delight she rises to her toes kissing him again, “you got yourself a date.”

  
  
  



End file.
